UCLA wide receiver Shaquelle Evans, right, can’t catch a pass after being defended by Colorado’s Jered Bell in a game at Folsom Field on Sept. 29, 2012. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

BOULDER — Speaking Wednesday following Colorado’s second spring football practice, coach Mike MacInytre said CU’s compliance department has not yet received word from the NCAA on whether or not safety Jered Bell will receive a rare sixth year from the NCAA.

MacIntyre believes it is almost a given that Bell will get to suit up for the Buffaloes this fall.

Bell sat out the 2014 season as a fifth-year senior after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee during August drills. In 2011 as a sophomore, Bell redshirted after tearing the ACL in his left knee during August camp.

In this Nov. 23, 2013, file, Colorado’s Blake Theroux races at the NCAA Cross County Championship in Terre Haute, Ind. (Aaron P. Bernstein, Special to the Denver Post)

The University of Colorado men’s cross country team — one of the most talented in school history — held on to its No. 1 ranking in the final regular season NCAA Division I national coaches poll released Tuesday.

The men’s team dominated at Saturday’s pre-nationals meet in Terre Haute, Ind., where top teams travel to get race experience on the same course — LaVern Gibson Championship Course — where nationals will be held on Nov. 22. The Buffs put a staggering six runners in the top 14 in one of the most competitive fields in the nation to win the “Blue” race for the second straight year out of 46 teams. Pac-12 conference rival Oregon finished a distant second with 91 points. The Buffs put six runners ahead of Oregon’s No. 3 runner.

Colorado senior Blake Theroux of Chesapeake, Va., finished second in the 8K race in 24 minutes, 6.1 seconds, just two seconds behind Oregon sophomore Edward Cherserk, the defending NCAA and Pac-12 champion. Colorado sophomore Ben Saarel was fourth, junior Ammar Moussa was eighth, senior Jake Hurysz was ninth, junior Pierce Murphy was 12th and junior Connor Winter was 14th. The team won the national championship last year.

University of Colorado wide receiver Elijah Dunston catches a pass during football practice at Colorado in Boulder on Aug. 4, 2014. (Mark Leffingwell, Daily Camera)

BOULDER — Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said he’s doing what he can to lift the spirits of redshirt-freshman receiver Elijah Dunston, who tore multiple knee ligaments (ACL and MCL) and will require season-ending surgery.

“He just jumped up for a ball — a noncontact type deal,” MacIntyre said.

A University of Colorado helmet sits next to the trophy before the start of the Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado State University. (Jeremy Papasso, Daily Camera)

FORT COLLINS — Colorado State reports that as of this morning, it had sold 22,000 tickets for Friday night’s Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

It’s technically a CU home game.

In retrospect, regardless of the attendance, it was unfortunate that the game was moved to Friday night for television purposes. (It’s being shown on the new Fox Sports 1…where available.)

That’s a prime high school football night, opening night for most schools, and it’s ridiculous that many folks who might have attended the game will be committed to attending high school games; or, conversely, attendance at high school games might be affected by the Shootout.

Kenneth Crawley, left, is congratulated by teammate Ryan Severson after making a tackle during the Rocky Mountain Showdown on Friday. (Jeremy Papasso, The Daily Camera)

BOULDER — Although Colorado junior Ken Crawley is a two-year starter, the native of Washington, D.C., entered August drills sharing the top spot on the depth chart at right cornerback with a newcomer, junior-college transfer Ahkello Witherspoon.

Colorado has not released an updated depth chart, but judging from comments made by coach Mike MacIntyre, it appears Crawley has done his part.

“Kenneth has improved a lot,” MacIntyre said Thursday. “He makes more plays on the ball. He is playing with more confidence. He’s more physical. I’m excited about what he’s doing.

BOULDER — Coaches in all sports are looking for crisper, cleaner practices as the season opener approaches. Colorado football coach Mike MacIntyre said his team is starting to feel that sense of urgency.

Colorado and Colorado State face off on Aug. 29, a Friday night “Rocky Mountain Showdown” at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The 6-foot-7, 250-pound senior at Notre Dame in Sherman Oaks, Calif., also plays defensive end, and is a three-sport athlete, playing basketball and throwing discus and shot put.

Haigler is listed as a two-star recruit by Rivals and a three-star recruit by ESPN. He is the Buffaloes’ second California recruit from the class of 2015. LB N.J. Falo of Inderkum High in Sacramento, Calif., gave his verbal commitment in January.

University of Colorado’s Jered Bell runs back an interception for a touchdown during a game against Central Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013, at Folsom Field in Boulder. (Jeremy Papasso, Daily Camera)

BOULDER — No serious injuries were reported by Colorado following Saturday’s football scrimmage. But CU coach Mike MacIntyre did have some bad news.

MacIntyre confirmed that that senior safety Jered Bell, a returning starter, tore an ACL during Friday evening’s practice and the knee injury will keep him out for the entire 2014 season.

“It was non-contact. He just ran and stopped and blew his knee out,” MacIntyre said. “That was a sad night for me last night, really sad.”

Colorado State women’s soccer coach Bill Hempen is set to begin his second season with the Rams. (Photo courtesy of Dan Byers)

Bill Hempen laughed as he recalled a memory of his first season as the head coach of Colorado State’s brand new women’s soccer program.

“We were handing out name tags at the first practice,” Hempen said. “We didn’t know anybody.”

When Hempen was hired by CSU in February 2013, he was racing the clock. He was given five months to build the program from scratch and have it ready to play that fall, a giant undertaking that included warp-speed recruiting, scheduling and promoting.

“I said, ‘If you agree to do that, you are more crazy than I thought,'” said Jeff Hooker, the University of Denver coach and a close friend of Hempen. “I told him to be prepared to be as frustrated as you’ve ever been in your years of coaching.”

CU offensive lineman Shane Callahan hits the sled during football practice at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado August 6, 2014. (Photo via Daily Camera)

BOULDER — After having been used exclusively at right offensive tackle during Colorado’s fall camp, Auburn transfer Shane Callahan worked at right guard during Thursday’s practice.

A sophomore in eligibility, Callahan (6-foot-6, 300 pounds) joined the Buffs roster last week and was granted an NCAA waiver to play this season for CU. Callahan, a former four-star blue-chipper at Chaparral High School in Parker, had petitioned to play immediately, citing a desire to play for his home-state school because a member of his family is ill.

Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said following Thursday’s practice that it has not been decided whether Callahan will be a tackle or a guard for the Buffs. Callahan worked at both of those spots at Auburn, and even got a trial at center.

“Tackle or guard, once Shane got eligible we were going to plug him in (different positions) and see where he fit best,” MacIntyre said.

“We got him on some special teams, like on our punt shield and our field-goal protection. He’ll have a scrimmage Saturday and a scrimmage the Saturday after that, so we’ll then have a better feel for where he sits. But he’s picking it up, which is great.”

CU offensive lineman Shane Callahan hits the sled during football practice at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado August 6, 2014. (Mark Leffingwell, Daily Camera)

BOULDER — Colorado senior guard Daniel Munyer said new arrival Shane Callahan is getting along great with his new teammates on the Buffs offensive line after just four practices.

“He’s a good kid,” Munyer said Tuesday following a morning practice.

Callahan (6-foot-6 and 300 pounds) is a sophomore transfer from Auburn. The NCAA ruled that Callahan can play immediately with the Buffs after reviewing his petition which included a desire to attend school and play football near a family member who is ill. Callahan is from Parker and became a highly recruited standout at Chaparral High School.

Shay Fields, pictured here on Aug. 14, 2013, playing for St. John Bosco’s as wide receiver, is making a name for himself at early season practices for the University of Colorado. (Thomas R. Cordova, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

BOULDER — There are fast guys that look like they have to work to be fast. Others make it look easy.

Colorado freshman receiver Shay Fields seems to just glide down the field — often running away from defenders. There is no wasted motion to his quick stride.

Colorado State coach Jim McElwain will be hearing questions from a new Post beat writer this season (Denver Post file photo, Karl Gehring)

Consider this an open letter to the Colorado State University constituency.

I’ve written a lot on CSU football and indeed many other Rams’ athletic programs, both men’s and women’s, during my two stints in various roles at The Denver Post. During my hiatus, I even did a major piece on Sonny Lubick’s revival of the program when I was with The Sporting News.

Also, in books and in the paper, I’ve written about CSU’s World War II heroes, including Bus Bergman, Dude Dent, John Mosley of the Tuskegee Airmen, and Perry Blach. Former CSU student body president and football star Glenn Morris, who won the 1936 Olympic decathlon in Berlin and was perhaps the second-most celebrated athlete in the U.S. in the wake of the Games, is one of the title figures in my fact-based novel, Olympic Affair: Hitler’s Siren and America’s Hero.

So this isn’t a cold introduction.

I didn’t need a GPS to get to Fort Collins and I already knew where to stop for a cinnamon roll, either way.

This is a first, though: In the reconfigured sports department this fall, I will be the lead beat writer for CSU football and CSU sports, rather than what I was in the past — a generalist dropping in when needed to help out the beat writer, and also when the mood strikes me to write a feature or a column.

The University of Colorado strengthened its backcourt of the future Wednesday by receiving a commitment from former Providence guard Josh Fortune, according to CBSSports.

Fortune, who was granted his scholarship release from Providence in May, averaged 8.4 points per game as a sophomore last season for a Friars team that won the Big East Tournament championship before losing a 79-77 heartbreaker to North Carolina in the round of 64.

The 6-foot-5, 190-pound senior-to-be threw for 1,776 yards with 27 touchdowns and three interceptions last season for Del Valle High School in El Paso, Texas. He also rushed for 343 yards with seven more scores, leading the Conquistadores to an 8-4 record.

Kensler joined The Denver Post in 1989 and has covered a variety of beats, including Colorado, Colorado State, golf, Olympics and the Denver Broncos. His brush with greatness: losing in a two-on-two pickup basketball game at Ohio State against two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.